Tragedy
by Celeste Belle
Summary: When Kitty is raped, she turns to her best friend. Kurt becomes overly protective, and vows to kill the one who did this to her. When she falls in love with him, she doubts that he can love her after what happened. Will he prove her wrong?
1. Wounded

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or any of the characters.

A/N: Rated M for a reason. Rape fic. If you don't think you can handle it, don't read it. If it offends you, I'm sorry. But everyone _**should**_ be offended by rape. With that said, if you make it through this chapter, I hope you enjoy the story.

Wounded

Kitty couldn't believe this! Lance had stood her up yet again! Growling as well as a human could—she did live with Wolverine after all—she stalked up to the Brotherhood house. She was furious, and she was going to break it off with Lance for good this time. Pounding on the door, she was even more annoyed when no one answered. Truly angry now, she was prepared to wait until Lance returned.

She hadn't been sitting there for more than fifteen minutes, when a boy passed her in a blur. A gust of wind followed him that shook the already unsteady house. He raced inside, but came back out when he realized she was sitting there.

"What are you doing here?" Pietro Maximoff questioned

"Like, waiting for Lance." She informed him "Where is he? We had a date, and I, like, need to talk to him."

"He's out. But I'm here." He replied, suggestively.

Frowning, Kitty shuddered. "As if!" she exclaimed. "When will he be back?"

"Not 'til late." He said, stalking toward her. "But I can help you pass the time."

He was so _**not**_ coming on to her. "I'm like so not interested." She replied, trying to walk past him. He was starting to freak her out. The look in his eyes was starting to get manic. "Just, like, tell Lance that we're through. I'm sick of being stood up."

She turned to leave and suddenly found herself face-to-face with him. "Stop." She ordered, turning again. He matched her move for move. Only he was faster. She tried one more time to get away, simply phasing through him. She managed to get to the curb when she was suddenly grabbed from behind. Struggling, she tried to break free, and phase, but before she could blink, she was laying on her back in his bed.

"Like, what do you think you're doing?" she screeched, attempting to phase.

"Now, now, none of that." He grinned evilly, effectively pinning her and ripping off her clothes with inhuman speed. Shocked, Kitty forgot all about phasing. His hands on her felt disgusting. As he pawed at her, she started to cry, and struggle. He laughed as he pinned her more firmly to the mattress.

"You've been prancing around here. You knew just what you were doing. Seducing me." He grunted the last part as he removed his clothes. Suddenly, his lips covered hers. She didn't even try to repress the urge to gag. Yet this gave him the opportunity to shove his tongue down her throat. She couldn't breathe. Her tears came more rapidly, but he didn't seem to mind. His face as he loomed over her was sinister. She had never before seen that kind of expression on a person's face. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hip as he held her steady. One hand roughly groped her breasts. There were sure to be bruises. Suddenly, both of his hands moved to her hips. His legs tangled with hers.

The initial intrusion was excruciatingly painful. As her virgin barrier tore, Kitty screamed. She could feel the blood pouring down her thighs. The pain was unbearable. Pietro was fast. And he was using his super speed to rip through her. He pounded unmercifully, speeding up to an inhuman pace, and then slowing back down to draw out the agony. Oh, why hadn't she asked someone to come with her?

His panting suddenly became harsher. Soon, he released within her. Collapsing on her as he breathed heavily, he smirked. "Enjoyed it?" he taunted

As suddenly as he was there, he was gone. His clothes had been picked up and Kitty assumed he was wearing them. Struggling to sit up as her body protested, she wiped her face. More tears wanted to come, but they would have to wait.

She gasped as she moved off the bed. The throbbing between her legs was getting worse. Yet, she managed to stand up and grab her clothes. Pulling them on, taking care to make herself a bit more presentable, she moved to the bathroom. She had hoped to clean herself up a bit, but when she stumbled against the wall, she realized her legs didn't want to cooperate. But she couldn't stay here. Phasing through the walls until she reached what had been Mystique's room, she looked around for a telephone. Spotting one, she only hoped it would work. If it didn't, she would contact the Professor. But she really needed her best friend.

Dialing the number for Kurt's cell phone, she prayed that he would pick up. It rang three times and then someone answered. Unfortunately, it wasn't the voice she had wanted, or needed, to hear.

"Hello, Amanda." Kitty said. She wasn't in the mood to deal with the jealous, overly possessive girl.

"Oh, hi Kitty." She replied, sounding bored "What's up?" Not that she cared.

"Oh, um…I just need to talk to Kurt. It's kind of important." Kitty replied

"Well, he's busy." Amanda snarled

Kitty flinched. She knew Amanda didn't like it when someone interrupted her time with Kurt, but this was _**really **_important.

"Like, listen, Amanda." Kitty began "This is really important, so—"

Amanda cut her off. "He's busy." She said. This time, her tone suggested that Kurt was preparing to do something that Kitty _**knew**_ he wouldn't until he was married.

Kitty frowned. "But I—"

"Here he comes. Gotta go." Amanda hung up.

Kurt was with Amanda. He had let her answer his phone. He wouldn't even know she had called. Running out the door and toward the nearest gas station, she phased into the bathroom. Glad no one was in there, she locked the door. Sliding down the wall, Kitty sobbed.

A/N: Okay, before any of the Quicksilver fan-girls try to kill me (I am one of them) I don't think he could ever actually do this. However, I do think he has a pretty unpredictable character. I was playing with that aspect of it. Leave a review. If you thought it totally sucked, I'm sorry. Don't waste your words, or my time.


	2. Lost

A/N: Hope you enjoy the second chapter. Please let me know what you think of Kurt's accent.

Lost

It was late. It was dark. It was cold. And still, she hadn't returned. Rogue was worried. Contemplating going to the Professor, or Wolverine, she frowned. Maybe Kitty was just with Lance. Maybe they worked it out. Or maybe not. With that thought in mind, Rogue stalked to Kurt's room. He would be able to find her without causing a fuss. She hoped.

She walked down the hallway and stood in front of Kurt's door. She listened for a minute. He was asleep. Pulling out a bobby pin, she quickly picked the lock. On occasion, it was good to have a thief in your head. Stepping into the room, she called out his name. Three times she called before he awoke. They had learned long ago that waking Kurt in the night could be dangerous if he wasn't sleeping well. He was ashamed of this, but everyone assured him that he was not responsible for his memories or his nightmares.

As he sat up, she moved toward the bed. When Rogue had explained the situation, he frowned, mumbling darkly in German. Getting out of bed and throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, he gestured for them to walk to the door. Rogue and Kurt hadn't made it out of the hallway when they were caught by Storm.

"Where are you two going?"

Kurt contemplated teleporting out, but looking at Rogue's concerned face, decided it might be better to send the team after Kitty.

"Ve vere going to look for Katzchen." He said

Rogue looked at him before nodding. This would be the better choice.

"She isn't back?" Storm looked worried now.

_Professor, _she called, _We need to assemble the team. Kitty hasn't returned._

_All right, Storm. Meet in the front hallway. You'll need to go out on foot._

Nodding, she ushered the younger mutants out of the hall. Even if they hadn't already been on the team, there wouldn't have been any way to keep them here.

Once the team was assembled, Rogue told them what she knew. Wolverine was growling when she finished. The Professor was about to speak when the doors flew open and Kitty stumbled in. Her shirt was torn. Her jeans were ripped and dirty. Her hair was disheveled, though it looked as though she had tried to clean herself up. Her eyes were the most frightening thing about her. They were haunted and wild. Looking around the room, she drew deep breaths. She flinched away as Jean moved toward her. The room suddenly became very still as Kurt growled. His nose had caught the scent of blood and sex.

Kitty's eyes snapped to his face. Everyone expected her to cringe away from him, but instead, she ran toward him. Flinging herself into his arms, she clung to him.

"You weren't there!" she sobbed as she beat her fists against his chest. "You weren't there when he—you weren't there when I needed you! I called your phone! I…" she trailed off, collapsing in a heap of tears against his chest.

Wolverine's claws were out. The Professor was frowning. Scott and Jean looked appalled. Rogue was crying. But no one's expression could match Kurt's as he gently held Kitty against his chest. His yellow eyes glowed fiercely with rage. His lips had curled into a snarl, revealing glistening white fangs. His blue, three-fingered hand came up to gently stroke her hair, even as his eyes conveyed a much different message: when he found the person who had hurt his Katzchen, he would be _**very lucky**_ if Kurt killed him.

A/N: Some extreme comfort is ahead, along with some anger, tears, and love confessions. Come on, you saw that one coming. The love isn't going to be confessed for several chapters, yet, I'm afraid. Bear with me. Also, I apologize for the shortness of the chapter.


	3. Clean

Clean

Everyone was shocked by the feral look in Kurt's eyes as he lifted Kitty into his arms and teleported out of sight. Jean started to go up to check the rooms when Logan stopped her.

"It's dangerous to be near them right now, Red. His best friend has been raped." Everyone gasped at this.

"How do you know?" Storm questioned

"I could smell it. Kurt could too. By the way she flung herself at him, I suspect the half-pint won't be able to be around anyone else for a while. And Kurt will be very protective. We just need to be patient. They will come to us."

Everyone turned to the Professor. He nodded. "For now, I think it would be best to listen to Logan."

. . .

When they reached his room, Kurt gently sat in the chair, cradling his Katzchen. She clung to him, no longer crying. Rather, she now heaved dry sobs.

Kurt stroked her back and hair, trying to soothe her. His tail twitched in agitation. He could smell her fear, but just barely. The overwhelming stench of rape permeated her clothes and skin. He both blessed and cursed his heightened sense of smell as he tried to block the worst odors and concentrate on her personal scent. Sighing when he couldn't stand the smell any longer, he stood, cradling her.

"Katzchen?"

"What?" she asked, sniffling slightly

"Do you feel up for a bath?"

Blushing slightly, Kitty nodded. She felt really dirty, and she wasn't sure a hundred baths would fix that. Kurt carried her into his adjoining bathroom and set her gently on the toilet lid. He then turned to run the bath water. As it was filling, he retrieved a wash cloth and moved his soap to the edge of the bathtub.

As he moved around, he asked "Are you going to need help, Katzchen?"

"I might need a bit of help." She blushed, and then shuddered. Even if it was Kurt, she really didn't want anyone else seeing her uncovered any time soon. "I think I can get out of my clothes, but I may need help getting over to the tub. My…legs…are still…sore."

Nodding again, he barely suppressed a growl at her admission. He turned his back and watched the tub fill up with water. He could hear the sounds of her clothes being removed, but didn't even feel the urge to turn around. Kitty had been through enough without a fuzzy creature wanting to ogle her. When he heard her stand, he closed his eyes and turned his ear in her direction.

"Just stretch out your hand." She instructed.

He did so, and she grasped it. Using his strength to keep herself steady, Kitty moved across the bathroom. Sitting on the edge of the tub, she turned to look at Kurt's face. His eyes were tightly closed, and he was ready to turn his back again. Smiling slightly, she released Kurt's hand, and turned off the water, and climbed into the tub, hissing when the warm water touched tender places on her body.

When he was sure she was fully settled, he said "I'm going to get some of your clothes from your room. Is zere anyzing in particular zat you vant?"

Kitty thought for a minute. "Can you get my shampoo? And ask Rogue to get the…undergarments. But, um…would it, like, be all right if I slept in one of your shirts?"

"Of course, Katzchen. If you need me, don't hesitate to call me." With that, he disappeared.

Kitty sighed as she sank deeper into the water. She grabbed Kurt's soap from the ledge, and began to lather the washcloth. She was glad it smelled like him. His scent could calm her after the most disturbing events.

Running the rough fabric over her skin, she scrubbed. When her body was red, and almost raw, she stopped. She still didn't feel very clean, but… Sighing, she felt tears well up in her eyes again. As they spilled over, she wondered if she would ever get rid of the dirty feeling.

When she heard the sound of Kurt reappearing in his room, she ducked under the water to get her hair wet.

"I'm going to have to come in, Katzchen." Kurt said from the bedroom.

"All right." She replied, ducking beneath the water, trusting him not to look.

He walked in, eyes closed, and stopped just inside the door. He had the shampoo in one hand and one of his shirts, a pair of his boxers and her undergarments in the other. "Can you guide me to you so I can give you ze shampoo?" he requested

"Sure." She directed him toward her until he was standing in front of her. Taking the shampoo from his hands, she watched him turn around. He set the clothes on the toilet lid. "Kurt?" she asked, unsure of why she was about to ask this.

"Yes, Katzchen?"

"Can you stay? Just…I need to, like, be able to see you. Is that all right?"

"Vatever you need, Keety." He said sincerely, sitting against the sink and keeping his head angled away from her.

A/N: Hope you like the story so far. I know I sometimes leave you hanging at odd moments. I'll try to have the next chapter up next week, but I've been really busy lately.


	4. Rage

A/N: Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. I've been REALLY busy.

Rage

Kurt wasn't sure how he kept his anger down while he spoke to her. He knew it had to do with his need to keep her safe and calm. As he listened to the sounds of her bathing, his mind determined that he had to find out who had done this to her. He knew what had happened, he just needed details. He also knew she would need to talk about it, and not keep it bottled up inside of her.

His beast roared for blood, but he pushed it back down. There would be time for that when he discovered what had happened. Right now, he needed to concentrate on reassuring Kitty that she was safe, and that nothing would happen to her as long as he was around. That thought brought back the memory of her words as she had slammed into him. He made a mental note to ask her about them.

"Katzchen?" he questioned when he could no longer hear her movements. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm finished."

Nodding, he stood up. "There's a towel on ze floor next to you."

"I've got it."

Nodding he walked toward the sound of her voice. "Hand it to me."

Her scent spiked with fear even as she complied with his request. "My eyes are still closed, Katzchen, and vill remain so, until you tell me zat I can open zem."

Nodding, Kitty felt her heart rate slow. She knew she didn't have anything to fear from Kurt, but…

He opened the towel with his hands and held it open for her. She could tell his eyes were still closed. "I think I need a hand up, Kurt." She told him.

Inclining his head, he extended his tail to help her. "Do you trust me, Katzchen?" He hesitated. "If you need to, you can pull yourself up by my tail—"

She cut him off. "No. I know that will hurt you. What did you have in mind?"

"I'm going to wrap my tail around your vaist, and ease you out of ze tub."

"All right." She trusted Kurt.

He bent his knees a bit until his tail could reach her. She felt it wrap around her and stifled a gasp as it touched a sensitive bruise. He felt her tense, however, and said "I'm sorry, Katzchen. Did I hurt you?"

"No. I just have a bruise." She managed to stand and climbed gingerly out of the tub. Stepping into the warmth of the fluffy towel, she sighed as Kurt wrapped it around her. For a moment, she felt completely safe as his arms enveloped her. Then, they were gone, moved back to his side. Only his tail around her kept her up, as she quickly dried herself off.

When she had finished, he extended his hand and removed his tail, helping her over to her pile of clothes. She picked them up and sat on the toilet lid. She dressed slowly, as the pain was starting to come back. Once she had finished, she looked at Kurt who had once again turned his back to her.

"I'm dressed, Kurt."

Nodding, he said "Do you vant to go back to your room tonight?" He didn't want to let her out of his sight, but he would do as she requested.

She slowly shook her head, and then realized he still couldn't see her. She was pleased that he had kept his word. She had never doubted that he would. "You can open your eyes now, Kurt."

When his eyes opened, he briefly ran them over her battered body. When she flinched, he locked eyes with her. "I don't want to see anyone else right now," she informed him.

He nodded. He didn't want anyone else to see her in this state either. "Let's move to the other room then."

She nodded and raised her arms to encircle them around his neck as he lifted her into his strong arms. He carefully walked into the bedroom. She tensed as he placed her on the bed, but relaxed as he dragged a chair over so he could sit next to her. Kitty's heart chided herself for not fully trusting Kurt, but her mind said it was fine to be afraid of him.

When she looked up from her lap, she noticed he was frowning at her. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I know I can trust you…"

"It's all right, Katzchen. The fear should fade vith time."

Nodding, she took one of his hands in her own. "Where will you, like, sleep if I'm in your bed?"

"On ze floor." He stated this as though it were obvious.

"Oh." Kitty felt bad that she was taking his bed.

"Katzchen," Kurt began as he tilted her head up with a finger. He noticed she did not flinch away from his touch this time. "I do not mind if you sleep in my bed. I vould prefer to know zat you are here und safe."

Kitty nodded, looking back at the sheets. She was silent for a few moments. "You're angry." She finally stated in a soft voice.

Kurt knew there was no point in denying it. They had always been able to read each other very well. "Yes. I am angry. Vhy do you zink I am angry?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."

Sighing, Kurt laced their fingers. "Katzchen, I am very angry at ze person who did zis to you." She nodded, making eye contact briefly. "But I zink I may have a reason to be angry vith myself."

"Like, why?" Her eyes jolted to his face. Kitty couldn't understand what reason Kurt would have to be angry with himself. He had done nothing wrong.

"Because I failed to protect you. Und because you said somezing vhen you came through ze door zat makes me zink I should be. Vhat did you mean by your vords, Keety?" Genuine confusion shone on Kurt's face. It was mixed with an expression of agony.

She flinched. She didn't want to tell him. Would he even believe her?

"Keety?" he urged

Sighing, she said "It's not important." All she wanted to do was sleep.

"Please, Katzchen. Do not hide from me." His fingers lightly brushed her cheek.

"I…" Anger at Amanda flared within her. She tried to suppress it. She was just his best friend. She didn't have a right to come between them. "I called you." She blurted out.

Kurt frowned. Renewed rage flashed in his eyes. "Ven?"

"Right after it happened. I found a phone." Now that she had begun, she couldn't seem to stop. "I called your phone. Amanda answered. She said…" Kitty trailed off, new tears falling from her eyes as her mind relived how alone she had felt when she realized Kurt wasn't coming.

"Vat did she say, Katzchen?" Kurt's voice was deadly, but his tone was lost to her.

Kitty shook her head, unable to continue. "Oh, Keety." Kurt moved to sit next to her on the bed. Cradling her to his chest, he allowed her to cry. She clutched him, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear.

Kurt's overwhelming desire to comfort Kitty barely overshadowed his anger this time. As he held her, he stroked her hair and her shoulders. Kitty burrowed closer, as though she wanted to disappear inside of him, as though he could take the pain away with one touch. His tail wrapped gently around her waist as he held her closer. Before he could stop it, his anger escaped him in the form of a harsh growl.

Kitty tensed, startled, and then relaxed, sighing as she snuggled close to him. Her fear had disappeared the moment his blue, fuzzy fingers had touched her cheek. It reminded her of the many ways in which Kurt was different from Quicksilver, from every other man she knew.

The animalistic side of Kurt should have frightened Kitty, just as his features had frightened her when they had first met. But that wasn't the case. The growl that rumbled from his chest was no longer a sign of danger—not for her at least. Now, it was a sound of protection and strength. It told her that Kurt could, and _**would**_, watch over her and keep her safe. She fell asleep, held safely within the shelter of her best friend's arms.


	5. Terror

A/N: I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It could be a while before my next update. Please bear with me as I try to juggle work, school, fanfiction, college graduation, and post-graduation plans.

Terror

Kitty awoke gasping for breath. Beads of sweat had accumulated on her forehead. The nightmares would not be stopped. It had been six days, and she still could not shake the feeling of insecurity. She thought she saw him everywhere she looked.

Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was only 4:30 a.m. Noticing that Kurt was curled up on the floor, she smiled. They fell asleep at night with him curled up on the floor next to her side of the bed. The first night, after he had left her to grab blankets and she had tossed him a couple of pillows, he had settled in and then reached up to grasp her hand. When he entwined their fingers, she had sighed, feeling safer than she ever had. It had become a routine for them, and Kitty found herself relishing the feel of his fur when his fingers stroked the back of her hand.

Sitting up because she knew she would not be able to get back to sleep, Kitty eased her fingers from Kurt's light grasp. Moving to the balcony, she enjoyed the feel of the cool breeze on her hot face. Sighing, she closed her eyes and leaned on the railing. Starting when she felt a presence behind her, she calmed instantly when Kurt spoke.

"Are you vorried about today, Katzchen?"

She nodded as his arms came around her. Today she was getting her first check-up from Dr. McCoy. She hadn't wanted one earlier, and she didn't want one now, but she knew that she needed to get one to make sure that everything was okay. She had resisted at first because she was afraid, but after talking to Kurt, she realized it was best. She had made him promise to stay with her during the exam. Jean hadn't thought it would be proper, and when the Professor had tried to talk to them about it, Kurt's snarl when she voiced her opinion told everyone that Kitty's wishes would be followed unless they wanted to lose two of the X-men. No one was sure if Kurt would kill the offenders, or take Kitty far away from them. Neither option was agreeable, so everyone decided that Kitty would know best who she would be comfortable with and left it at that.

She only left Kurt's room for meals, and on worse days, Kurt brought sandwiches for them to eat. He was never far from her side, and Kitty suspected that it would remain that way for a long time. He was her silent (sometimes not so silent) protector.

Kurt dropped his head and placed a light kiss on her hair. Tightening his arms, he smiled when she leaned into him.

"I'm just nervous." She admitted

"I von't allow anyvone to hurt you." Kurt promised

"I know. It's just…the thought of having anyone…down there…"

He nodded in understanding. "It's just Dr. McCoy, Keety. It vill be all right. He just vants to make sure you are safe und healthy. Ve all do."

She nodded. "I know that." She shivered, and Kurt took her hands to lead her back inside.

She followed willingly and they sat together on the bed.

"Vould it help to talk about it?"

Kitty knew it would help, but she just didn't know what to say. She told him as much.

"Just start at the beginning. Vhatever you need to tell me. You can say anyzing to me."

Taking a deep breath, Kitty closed her eyes and laid her head on Kurt's shoulder. His arm came around her and his fingers entangled in her hair. "What do you want to know?"

"Do you vant to talk about ze check-up?" he asked as his fingers twirled a few strands of her hair

"No. I know that will be okay, as long as you're with me." She wondered sometimes if she depended a bit too much on Kurt, but he didn't seem to mind, and she needed him.

"You need to talk, Katzchen."

"I know." She replayed the moment in her mind. She didn't know if she could relive it. She shuddered as her eyes prickled with tears.

"I'm here, Keety. I am your friend, und I am here to help you."

"I know." She took a deep, calming breath. "I need to tell someone. But like, not right now. I need you to be calm later. After the check-up, I promise I will tell you."

He nodded. Nuzzling into her hair, he sighed. Kitty had been through so much more than anyone should have to. "You should try to get some sleep."

"I don't want to leave your arms though."

"I could lay vith you if you vant. But only if you are truly comfortable vith it." He suggested, loosening his embrace just enough to look her in the eye.

Staring into his eyes, Kitty knew she would be safe. She figured that if she hadn't yet freaked out about Kurt's touches, she wouldn't now.

"Okay." She replied, leaving his arms to slide back under the covers.

When he joined her, she tensed for only a moment, but he only stayed perfectly still, waiting for her to be all right again. Kitty moved until her head was pillowed on his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and she reached a hand up to entwine with one of his. They fell asleep like that, exhausted just by the thought of the upcoming day.

* * *

Kitty was sitting on a cot in the med bay. She was trying hard not to hyperventilate, and nothing had happened yet. Kurt stood right next to her, gently stroking her hair, and holding her hand. She trembled, but she would be strong. She could do this. Kurt was here with her for a reason, and there was no way the X-Men would ever hurt her.

When Dr. McCoy instructed her to lie back, she took a deep breath before doing so. He warned her before he came close, and as her eyes focused on Kurt's face, she felt herself relax a bit. Until he touched her. She yelped, and a few tears sprang to her eyes. Her lower body phased into the cot. She knew the way she was acting was illogical and silly, but she couldn't seem to stop it.

Kurt exchanged a glance with Dr. McCoy. Hank nodded, and moved back a bit. Kurt grabbed a chair and sat next to Kitty. He would need to capture her full attention, so that she had something else to focus on.

"Keety," he began, smiling when her eyes locked on his. She knew what he was trying to do. "Look at me, look only at me. Ve are ze only two people in zis room. Focus on mein eyes, mein darling. Look only at me. See only me." And she did. Kurt was the only one in the room at that moment. Her body phased out of the cot, and Dr. McCoy worked as quickly as he could.

Kitty found herself lost in Kurt's eyes. If only he was looking at her that way because he meant it, and not because she had been hurt…if only.

"All done." Hank reported, walking to the table to make notes on her chart.

Sitting up, Kitty gripped Kurt's hand. She hoped she was okay. So did Kurt. If she was mainly unharmed, physically at least, the creep who did this to her might get away with a relatively quick death.

"Well?" she finally asked

"Um…" Hank paused, wondering if he should wait for the Professor. No. "You suffered a lot of trauma, and the damage is quite extensive."

Kurt didn't even try to suppress the growl that rumbled through his chest when Kitty's eyes widened, and her grip on his hand tightened.

"Nonetheless, you should make a full physical recovery. I guess another way to put it is that you've sustained worse injuries in battle, but this time you will take longer to heal because of the location of your injuries. Also, because it is internal, you will need to come back here for a checkup every week until you are healed."

Kitty cringed. Other women got raped, and some of them never saw a doctor, couldn't she just do that? Glancing at Kurt, whose eyes had long since left Dr. McCoy and were now focused on her, she realized she would need to come back for the checkups. Everyone just wanted her to be okay, so she would do her bit to make sure that happened. But for herself, and Kurt. Not for everyone else.

Kitty had another question she wanted to ask, but didn't know how to go about it. Kurt knew the question, though because it was the most logical. "Is she pregnant?"

Hank sighed. "No. Thank goodness."

Kitty's shoulders shook with relief. "Is that all?"

Hank looked surprised. "Yes, I suppose so."

Kitty nodded. Turning to Kurt, she said "Please get me out of here."

Lifting her gently into his arms, he teleported them back to his room.

Kitty disappeared into the bathroom, and Kurt went to get some soup for the both of them. When they both returned to the bedroom, they sat side-by-side on the bed, sipping the soup. Kitty, however, was exhausted, and Kurt soon set the soup on the night table so they could nap. When they awoke, he knew she would have to tell him her story. She had promised, and he didn't think either of them could wait another day.


	6. Shatter

Shatter

Two days after the exam, Kitty was still fairly withdrawn. She mainly spoke only to Kurt. She flinched when anyone else came near her; Kurt was never far from her side and was often caught growling at any guys who so much as glanced at her—including Wolverine, who didn't take it personally and mostly ignored him. She still hadn't talked about what had happened, and Kurt still felt the growing need to know who had done it so that he could rip him to pieces. He couldn't figure out what had happened. She was going to tell him, and then…silence.

No. He knew what had happened. Amanda had called the afternoon of the exam. She said she had missed Kurt. When he asked her about Kitty's phone call, she denied it, but Kurt had a knack for knowing when someone was lying. He called her on it, and she confessed to thinking Kitty was trying to take Kurt away from her because she was jealous. Kurt told her it had always bothered him how horribly she had treated Kitty and that this time Amanda had gone too far.

Kitty felt bad when she heard him break up with her and end the phone conversation with a growl. She decided it was best if she tried to rely less on Kurt, but it was hard. She hadn't wanted to come between him and Amanda. She had just been angry at her for not letting her talk to Kurt when she needed him.

Finally, Kurt had had enough. Growling all the way to the courtyard where Kitty was trying to have a normal conversation with Rogue, he scowled when he watched her flinch away as Bobby walked past. Moving towards them, he watched her eyes simultaneously light up, and then dim when she spotted him. Good. She missed him as much as he missed her. That would make this easier.

"Ve need to talk." He said, taking her hand gently in his.

She twitched, but nodded. Soon, she found herself in his room. Taking her usual seat on the bed, she was surprised, but pleased when he sat next to her. He was upset, she knew, because she had been avoiding him. Glancing at his face, which was full of concern above all, she realized he deserved to know why. Before she could tell him, however, he spoke.

"I know vhy you have been avoiding me, Katzchen. But I did not break up vith Amanda because of you—zat vas a deciding factor—but it vas not ze only reason. Ve had been having problems for a few months anyvay."

She locked eyes with him, startled. "Really?" she asked

"Yes. I vould not lie to you."

"So, like why did you need to talk to me then?"

"I did not say _**I **_needed to talk to _**you**_. I said zat _**ve**_ needed to talk."

"About?" she hedged, knowing where this conversation was going.

He heaved a heavy sigh. "Keety, I vill never force you to tell me vhat happened. So do not zink zat is vhat I am trying to do. I simply vant you to know zat you promised to tell me, because ve both know it vill help you. I also vant you to know zat I am here to listen vhen you decide you are ready to tell me." He finished with a light touch to her face.

She unconsciously leaned into his touch, sighing deeply. She knew she would feel better if someone knew who had done this to her, but she didn't know if she could say it. Looking to Kurt, she found strength in his gaze. She could do this.

Kitty took a deep breath as she began her tale. As she spoke, her fear spiked. Kurt's arms tightened and then released her. By the time she was finished, he was pacing, his tail twitching in agitation and pain for what she had endured as silent tears flowed down her face.

Kitty didn't know why she was so nervous. She knew Kurt would never judge her, or consider her responsible. But knowing that she had been looking for Lance when it happened made her a bit afraid that a part of him would consider it her fault. Glancing at Kurt's face, which was still twisted in anger, she flinched, praying he could see that it wasn't her fault. That she didn't ask for this. That he knew…

"I vill _**kill**_ him." He growled.

"He isn't worth it." She stated, relieved that he hadn't made a comment about why she was at the Brotherhood house that day. She realized she was being silly. Kurt would never think this was her fault. If he did, he wouldn't have helped her this much.

"It does not matter." His words were still laced with anger, but his tone was softening. "He hurt you, mein liebling, und for zat, he _vill_ pay." He replied, feeling more in control. He moved next to her again and wiped her tears. Her hands came up to grip his forearms.

"Kurt," she whispered as she leaned into his strength.

He smiled gently. "I vill alvays protect you, Katzchen. No vone vill _**ever**_ harm you again."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Things will start looking up soon-ish.


	7. Protection

A/N: So sorry this took so long. It was technically done right before school ended, but I couldn't post it. After reviewing it today, I realized I hadn't posted it because it needed a lot of editing. Lol. Hope you enjoy!

Protection

The next month flew by with hardly any mishaps. Kitty was healing, both physically and emotionally. And Kurt was always by her side. When Kitty had woken up a week ago, held protectively to Kurt's chest, she knew. She understood that she loved him, and probably always had. But how to tell him? He wouldn't want her now. Not now that she was broken, used, and tarnished. This thought always made Kitty curl into herself. No one really understood what was going on, not even Jean, who never even tried to look into Kitty's mind, fearing what she might see.

Thus, on this day, Kitty was more withdrawn than ever, and the X-Men held a meeting to discuss it. While she lay upstairs in her own bed for the first time since the incident, Kurt paced the Professor's office. This was worse than before. At least then, he'd known what the problem was. Now, he had no idea what could be wrong. All he knew was that his liebling was in pain. Tilting his head, he could just make out the sound of her tears coming from her bedroom.

Stopping in front of the Professor's desk, he growled. "Vhat is wrong vith her?"

Charles shook his head. He didn't know what was wrong with Kitty. She'd been doing so well. Finally, Jean spoke.

"Did anyone say anything?"

This question was followed by another growl from Kurt. But no one believed that was the case.

"I'm sure no one has said anything to her," the professor said calmly. "Kitty has had a rough time. I'm sure she just needs some time to herself. She most likely feels as though she's depending on Kurt too much."

Kurt frowned. He knew she _had_ felt that way, but he'd thought he'd made it clear that he was there for her no matter what, and that he didn't feel inconvenienced at all. Sighing, he spoke.

"I'll leave her alone for a vhile. If any of you find out vhat is wrong vith her, please, please tell me. I don't like zat she has shut herself avay."

The X-Men nodded. They would do whatever they needed to do to help Kitty.

. . .

Kurt sat on his balcony, feeling the breeze ruffle his fur, but couldn't enjoy it like he normally would. His Katzchen was only a few halls away, crying her eyes out, and Kurt couldn't go near her, because he didn't know how he would be received. The scream he heard only moments later was enough to make him forget about his worry over how Kitty would receive him. He only knew he had to get to her.

Kitty awoke in a cold sweat. Her voice was hoarse from screaming, and her skin felt clammy. This was the first time she'd been alone in a long time, and at first, she didn't know where she was. When she remembered, she dropped her head into her hands. She'd thought the dreams had stopped. Perhaps being away from Kurt made them worse. Shaking her head to clear it, she wasn't surprised when two furry hands pulled her into a warm chest before gently stroking her face, removing all traces of her tears. He sat with her for what seemed like hours, before she was calm again. He rocked her, stroked her back, whispered calming words in her ear, and ran his fingers through her hair. She clung to him, trembling in his embrace. Finally, she calmed enough to tell him one word.

"Nightmare."

He nodded, sighing into her hair. Standing, he lifted her into his arms, giving her ample time to protest the movement. When she didn't, he teleported them back to his room. Placing her on the bed, he sat next to her.

"Vas eet _him_ again?"

Kitty nodded, before shaking her head. Kurt was confused.

"It was, but…it wasn't _just_ him. The nightmare started the same, but…it changed."

"How did eet change?" Kurt asked, wrapping an arm tightly around her.

Kitty kept silent, shaking her head before burying it in his shoulder. She didn't want to tell him. He would never force her to tell him, but his concern would only grow every moment she kept this pain to herself.

Kurt sighed. "I vill never ask you to tell me anyzing you do not wish to discuss, but perhaps you vould feel better after talking about eet?" He asked this gently, not pressuring her, or insisting, merely leaving it as an option.

Kitty wrapped her arms around Kurt's waist. She knew she would feel better to get this fear off of her chest, and it was silly to keep something like this bottled up. Kurt would never do what he had in the dream. But…the fear gripped her, forcing her to keep silent. Kurt held her, stroking her hair. She kept her arms around his waist until the position became uncomfortable. Then, moving her arms around his neck, she felt his fur under her fingertips. The strangeness of his mutation had frightened her when they had first met; now, it was the most welcome thing in the world.

With that thought in her mind, she lifted her face to his, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. She kept her cheek against his as she spoke.

"You were there…when he…" She trailed off, feeling him tense beside her. "You were there, and you saw what he was doing. Then you…just…walked away…laughing."

Kurt immediately froze in horror, the shock evident on his face. His arms tightened around her before he moved his hands to her shoulders to push her gently away. She kept her eyes trained on his chest, so he used a finger to tilt her chin up. When her eyes focused on his, he spoke.

"It vas just a nightmare, Katzchen. I vould never do zat. I'm sorry zat I vas not zere to save you, but I _promise_ zat he vill pay for vhat he has done. I vill never leave you to go zhrough zis alone. You must order me avay before I vill leave you, mein liebchen." He kept eye contact, making sure she could read his sincerity in his eyes.

Kitty nodded. She knew that, but the fear had overwhelmed her. She told Kurt as much.

"I know, Katzchen. I know. You are safe here vith me, vith ze X-Men. Ve vill protect you."

Kitty smiled softly, nodding. "I know. I just-" She trailed off with a yawn. "I just can't help but be afraid sometimes that you'll leave me, I guess. When I get over my fears. I'm just a little worried that you'll disappear."

Kurt reassured her that he would be here for as long as she needed him, and longer, because that's what best friends do.

With Kitty's fears resolved, Kurt smiled as he tucked her into his bed. Lying beside her, he wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled into his warmth. Murmuring softly as she allowed sleep to overtake her, she was blissfully unaware of the words that slipped from her mouth.

"I love you, Kurt."

His jaw dropped even as his arms brought her closer. His heart pounded out his answer against his chest. He knew now what was really bothering her, what was causing her nightmares to take this disturbing turn. She had been battling her feelings for him, as he had battled his for her when they'd first met.

The unidentifiable expression he'd seen on her face was suddenly made clear. Mentally hitting himself, he vowed she would never be uncertain of him again. He had loved her as a best friend, and those feelings had developed into so much more. She was still his best friend, as she always would be, but no other woman would ever find a similar place in Kurt's heart.


	8. Fangs

A/N: I am sorry that it took this long, and I know this is a short chapter. I hope you enjoy; be warned, this chapter includes the confrontation with Quicksilver, and though I made sure it wasn't graphic, he does get what's coming to him.

Fangs

Another week passed much the same as the others until Kitty felt she was ready for a shopping trip with the girls. Wolverine would be driving them, much to his annoyance, and Kurt had volunteered to go along. So that's how he found himself piled into Jean's car next to Kitty, with Tabitha in the front seat. Rogue was riding shotgun with Logan, who was coming along as extra protection and muscle if Kitty needed it. It had taken no insistence at all, as he had a large soft spot for the 'Half-Pint.'

At the mall, Kitty cringed at the number of people, but when Kurt nudged her hand with his, she gratefully allowed him to wrap her small hand in his larger one. The feel of his fur, though hidden by the image inducer, comforted her, and she squared her shoulders before allowing him to lead her toward the doors.

Logan mentioned that he was going to duck into the men's clothing store to get some new jeans, and that he'd be there or at the food court if anyone needed anything. Rogue hooked her arm through Kitty's free one and gave her a small smile. Kitty returned it before leading Kurt and Rogue through the mall with practiced ease.

As she passed through the stores, stopping to look at clothes and shoes, smell perfumes and lotions, and look through the movies, she felt a bit of her old self coming back. Rogue would leave her side to look through things on her own, but was never far, and always returned to link their arms again. Kurt only left her side at the food court, when he went to throw their trash away, leaving the girls a few moments to talk on their own.

"So, Kitty, what's going on between you and mah brother?" Rogue's question, though whispered too quietly for anyone to overheard, startled Kitty and had her checking over her shoulder for eavesdroppers.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Raght. That's why ya just checked over your shouldah ta see if anyone was listenin'."

Kitty sighed. She only had moments before Kurt returned. "I think I'm in love with him," she breathed.

Rogue's eyes widened, then a genuine smile lit up her face. "About time ya admitted it."

Kurt returned then, and the girls fell silent, grinning like they'd won the world's biggest prize. Kurt smiled as well. Though he was confused about why they were that happy, he was glad to see Kitty smiling again.

Kitty and Rogue were carrying multiple shopping bags, yet it was Kurt who was nearly drooping with the effort to carry those that had been handed to him after he'd volunteered. Logan laughed as they walked into his line of vision, and was still chuckling as he helped Kurt load the bags into the cars.

Kitty and Rogue were sharing whispers and a laugh as the men loaded the cars. Jean was scolding Tabitha for making a scene, trying but failing to keep the smile out of her voice. Kurt and Logan were just putting the final bags in Jean's car when they smelled fear from Kitty, and heard Rogue growl.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

A smooth voice answered in a jeer. "I'm doing whatever I want."

Kurt and Logan rounded the car at top speed just in time to see Quicksilver taunting the ladies. Jean was frowning, lifting a hand to her head, preparing herself to move one of the girls from harm's way, _or_ slam Pietro against the wall, whichever option she liked more at the moment.

Before anyone could move, or another jeer could be uttered, Kurt walked up to Kitty, placing a protective arm around her shoulders, emitting a growl so feral that it shook his entire body.

"You haf just von chance to leave before I forcibly remove you from zis parking lot."

Quicksilver's eyes lit up as he sneered at the X-Men. Not even the sight of Logan's claws deterred him. He taunted Kurt, leered at Kitty, and finally said the words that would secure his fate. Kitty's face had been buried in Kurt's shoulder as Rogue held her hand. Now, however, she faced the man who had caused so much misery.

"So, is the whore as good for you as she was for me?"

Kitty squared her shoulders, and stormed up to him, seething. The slap echoed through the parking lot, the force enough to turn his head. Before his hand could retaliate, though he clearly raised it against her, Kurt was between them.

Though Kurt was shaking so violently it looked as though he had to physically push the words from his body, they rang clear. "You vill _never_ speak of mein liebchen like zat _again_."

Quicksilver knew the moment Kurt teleported between himself and the girl, that he didn't stand a chance. Having seen his own death reflected in wild amber eyes, he gulped, real fear on his face for the first time. He tried to run, even expecting the psychic to stop him. She didn't. Kurt's feral instincts took over, and he blocked Quicksilver's path by teleporting. When Quicksilver finally tired of running, Kurt caught him. Slamming him into the nearest wall, he snarled. It was time.

The pride in Wolverine's eyes could only be described as paternal, like a father watching his son come through a rite of passage as he entered manhood. Kurt was letting his feral side take over, intent only on protecting the woman he loved.

Kitty held tightly to Rogue's hand as Logan stood behind them, a hand on each of their shoulders for support as they watched Kurt's fists make contact with Quicksilver's body. Using skills gained from years of acrobatics, he sought revenge for the loss of something so precious to the person most precious to him.

The sounds of Quicksilver's screams echoed long into the night, human shoppers vacating the parking lot almost as soon as they arrived, convinced that a malevolent ghost was coming for them. Had they known the truth behind the screams, they would have convinced the city to shut down the mall, the horror of the events that had transpired too much for them to handle.

As it was, only a small group of mutants, known to the world as the X-Men, superheroes in their own right, knew what had truly happened. No one would ever speak of it, though if questioned, their actions would not be denied with shame, but spoken of with the pride of one who has defended a family member. Kurt had dealt with Kitty's tormentor in the way his more feral side had demanded, and even his soft heart could find no reason to atone for the action. In the car, held tightly by Kurt's strong arms, still trembling with the aftershocks of her fear, unconcerned with the gleam of his white fangs as a growl still rumbled in his chest, the fierceness in his amber eyes as they flickered between her face and the quickly disappearing view of the mall, or the flecks of another's blood on the blue fur that encased his skin, Kitty snuggled into his side as Kurt's hand stroked her hair and his tail wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly to his side, a promise that he would never let anything harm her again.


	9. Love

A/N: Okay, I know it's been a LONG time since I've updated. Apparently the reason this chapter took so long is because it's the _last one_! I'm so sad! I really thought I had another chapter to go. I really thought I could make an even 10 chapters, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. Oh well. I really hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed this story! I love you all!

Love

Kurt would never regret his actions on that fateful night so many weeks ago, and as far as he could tell, none of the X-Men were ashamed of him for his loss of control. Even Kitty didn't seem bothered by his actions. That bothered Kurt. Shouldn't Kitty look at him with disgust? He had taken a life. He had killed someone who had been too exhausted to really fight back, though the black eye that had only recently healed would suggest otherwise. Sighing, Kurt supposed he was just waiting for the inevitable explosion, when everyone would look at him and say "Surprise! We were just kidding about supporting your actions. We want you to leave and never come near us again." But no one acted like they were going to do that, and Kitty was more comfortable with him than ever.

The fear and anguish built. So it was, when Kurt and Kitty were reclined comfortably on Kurt's bed, discussing what movie they wanted to watch later in the rec room with some of the others, that he finally lost it. Jumping off the bed, he whirled to face her.

"How can you sit here vith me? How can you even look at me? I took a life, Keety!"

Kitty blinked, startled by the sudden change in topic. Kurt's weird mood suddenly made sense; truthfully, if she thought about it, she'd been just a little tense too in the past weeks, just waiting for this moment.

Frowning, she stood taking his hands in her own. "Kurt, I'm sorry that you feel guilty for killing him." She knew she had to choose her words carefully. "But you were just protecting me. I don't blame you for that. Quicksilver was…unstable. If you hadn't stopped him that day, who knows what he could be doing now?" She paused to steady herself.

"But Keety—" His protest died as she continued.

"How many girls did he hurt before me? After me? I won't say what you did was right, because you won't believe me. But I'll say that you were protecting your family, and I could never, ever, blame you for that."

Kurt frowned, sighing as Kitty embraced him.

"You're not disgusted by me, then? You don't hate me?" The thoughts that had plagued him came spilling from his lips.

Kitty drew back just enough to look into his eyes. "Oh, Kurt…" The shock on her face more than answered his question. "Stupid Elf. As if I could ever hate you." With that, she embraced him more tightly, pressing her face against his rapidly beating heart. "As if I could do anything but love you," she whispered.

Kurt grinned; holding her close to him, breathing in her sweet scent, cherishing the treasure she'd just given him, he placed a light kiss on her temple. "I love you too, Katzchen."

This blood would always be on his hands, but maybe Kitty was right. She'd made him better in so many ways, made him want to be more than he was. Sometimes it seemed being her friend had cleansed him of the darkness of his past. Maybe, in time, her pure heart, her love, could cleanse him of this too.

. . .

The mutants of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters noticed a change in Kurt when he and Kitty joined them for the movie. No one commented on it. No one mentioned how Kitty leaned against Kurt as they walked into the room. No one said a word about the way Kurt held Kitty close to him as they sat together, waiting for the movie to begin. No one said anything, but even Wolverine, who stuck his head through the door to check on the "kids" had to smile at the sight they presented.

Kitty sat on the couch with Kurt, and heaved a tired sigh as a happy smile adorned her face. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she snuggled against his side. His mouth drew into a wide grin that exposed his fangs before leaning down to claim her mouth in a sweet kiss which she gladly returned. Things would never return to the way they were, and life as one of the X-Men could never be normal, but Kitty thought that this was way better.

A/N: It's over. I really wish there was more, but I think that's all I can do with it. I hope the ending was okay. I was aiming for sweet. Let me know what you think!


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